Bill of fare.



D. A. TOPPI.

BILL 0F FARB.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 7, 1913.

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D. A. TOPPI.

BILL OF FARE.

' APPLICATION FILED FEB. 7`, 1913. 1,068,609. Patented July 29, 1913.

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BILL 0F FARE. n PLIoATIoN FILED 11mm, i913.

Patented July 29, 1913.

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DOMENICO A. TOPPI, 0F NEW YORK, N. Y.

BILL or FARE.-

specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 29,1913.

Application filed February 7, 1913. Serial N o. 746,830.

To all whom, it may concern Be it known that I, DOMENIC A. TOPPI, a subject of the King of Italy, anda residentofy New York, county and State of New York, have invented a certain new and usefulJImproveme'nt in Bills of Fare, of which the following lis til-full, clear, and exact specification.l

This invention relates to a class of devices adapted fon-use particularly .in public dining rooms.

My inventionhas for its object primarily to provide a device, or bill of faredesigned to be employed for .displaying to the guests of public 'dining rooms the menu of the meals served therein, and which will permit the names of the'various dishes to be readily changed as frequently as desired in compliance with thevariations ofthe kind' ofA food products served at different intervals, thus obviating the necessity for proi ducing separate lists of the dishes at veach time thel menu isl changed. This is accompl'ished mainly by providing a frame in Whichare mounted a plurality of alined ad- I justable members, or' rods,.each having the names of a number of the `food products indicated separately thereon, and each of the membersis adaptedto be independently rotatedvfor changing the menu.

- Another object of the invention is to provide means whereby the members may be .manually adjusted and rotated; and still another object of the invention is `to provide vmeans which serves to permit the month,

day agnd date of each separate menu to be shown.l on the bill of fare.

A further object of the invention is yto provide a form of bill of fare of a simple and etlicient construction, and which is susceptible of being made in various sizes and shapes.

A practical embodiment of the invention is represented in the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views, the. said invention beingv more fully described hereinafter andthen pointed. out in the appended claims. y

In the drawing,Figure 1 is a face view, partly in section and partly broken aw 1y. of oneform of bill of fare embodying my 1nvention.l Fig. 2 is -aperspective Aviewofone of the removable side bars of the frame of the device. Fig. 3 is a face view of the shortremovable side bar used in conjunction withthe extension of the device. Fig. l is a longitudinal side view of one of the adjustable rods used in the device. Fig. 5A is an end view of the rod. Fig. 6, illustrates a number of views showing the various shapes in which the bodies of thevrods may be made. Fig. 7 is a section taken on the line II-II of'Fig. l. Fig. 8 is a fragmentary side view of one of the supporting strips employed in the device. Fig. 9 is a frag mentary side view. of another supporting stripused in the device. Fig. 10 is a frag mentary view of 'one form of the extension of the device. Fig. 11 is a section taken on theline III-III of-Fig. 10, and Fig. 12 is a section taken on the line IV-IV of Fig. 1.

The device, or bill of fare has a frame 10 formed of a top transverse bar 11, a bottom transverse bar 12, and rigidly held tothe corresponding ends of both of said bars is a sidebar 13. Extending from the opposite end of the transversebar 11 is a tongue 14C which is formed by reducing, or cutting away part of one or both of the surfaces of said bar, and extending from the opposite endof the transverse bar 12 is a similar tongue 15 which is also formed by reducing or cutting away part of one or both of its surfaces. VDetachably held upon the tongues 14 and 15 of the transverse bars 11 and 12 is a second side bar 1G, and one edge of said side bar is longitudinally slotted so as to provide a groove 17 therein for' reception of the tongues, 14 and 15. Serving as means to yieldingly hold the side bar 16 to the tongues 14 and ,15, in each of said tongues is provided' a catch 18 and 19 respectively. The catches 18 and 19 are alike in formation, and

each of .said catches 'is preferably composed i of astrip of spring metal having one end driven through each of the tongues. Upon the. opposite end of each of the spring metal v of vtheside bar 16 .the heads of thecatches isecured .to pins 20 and 21 oneof which is Y will engage the notches 23 and 24 for removably holding the side bar 16'to the trans verse bars 11 and 12.

Tothe transverse bar l1 adjacent to the tongue 14 thereof is secured one end of a supporting strip 25, and the other end ofalinement with one of the openings 26 of the supporting strip 25. One edge of the supporting strip 27 islongitudinally slitted, at 29, and in said slit is held a Wire 30 which is disposed so as to be directed diametrically across each of the openings 28. In each of the openings 26 of the supporting strip 25, and in each of the corresponding openings 28 of the supporting strip 27 is disposed a member, or rod 31. There may be any vsuitable number of the rods 31, and each of said rods is slidably as well as being rotatably held in the openings. The rods 3 1 are alike information, andthe body of each of said rods may be polygonal in shape so 'pas to provide` a plurality of faces 32. On one or more of the faces 32 of each of the rods 31 is indicated in any suitable manner the name of one of the food products, as 33, of the menu being served so that the total series of names exposed to view upon the rods. collectively constitute the complete menu. One

end of each of the rods 31 may be reduced, at 34, and through 'the free end of each of said reduced portions are one or more slots 35 which are disposed crosswise With rela- Upon the opposite end 31 may be provided a head 36, and serving as means to permit each of said rods to be manually shifted, extending from `each of the heads 36 is a knob, or button 37.

In arranging the menu the side bar 16 is removed by the. exertion of slight force from" the tongues 14 and 15 of the transverse bars 11 and 12. Thefrods 31 `are disposed in classified order so` that each rod is guided through one of the openings 26 of the supporting strip 25, and the rod is then directed so that its reduced end portion will be passed Ythrough the corresponding opening 28 of the supporting strip 27 ina manner for the wire 30 to be seated in one of the slots 35 ofthe reduced end ofthe rod. By applying the side bar 16 upon the ton ues 14 and 15 of the transverse bars 11 an 12 so that the knobs 37 Will be disposed in the groove 17 of said transverse bar al1 of the rods 31 will desired food products, and the transverse.

bar 16 'is then re-arranged upon the tongues '14 and 15, as above explained.

As shown in Fig. 1 ofthe drawing, in the Y,

frame 1.0 may be 4provided a plate, as 38, of cardboard, or other suitable material, and through one part of said plate is .an opening 39 of asize whereby the exposed faces of4 all of the rods 31 are displayed therethrough. Upon the secondvportion of the'` plate 38 may be indicated ,part of the menu representing the dishes cooked-to-ord'er, while on the rods 31A may be indicated the .food products of the menu which are prepared and ready to serve, or in instances the plate 38 may be dispensed With, and the r-ids 31 are thenemployed for displaying the menu in entirety.4 If desired, in

the frame 1() may also be provided a second. plate 39a to serve as a back for the rods 31 i..

and the supporting strips25 and 27.

Serving as means to permit the date of each separate menu to be designated on the bill of fare, provided at the top of the frame 10 is an 'extension 40. The extension 40 consists of a substantially rectangular pla-te 41" having its lower edge held to the transverse bar 11 of the fra-me, and through the plate 41 are a plurality of openings 42,- 43, 44, through one of which is shown the month through the second. opening is shown the day and through the third opening is shown the date of the menu. Held the 'top edge of the plate 41 is a transversel bar 45 having tongues 46 and 47 'projecting from. l

its ends, and said tongues are formed by :re-l du'cing, or cutting away partof one or both of the surfaces of said bar. The tongue 46 of t-he bar 45 is in alinement with a; tongue 48' which is formed by reducing or cutting i away part of the end of the transverse bar 11 which .is opposite to the tongue 14 thereof and also reducing, or cutting away the part of the end portion of the side bar 13 which is held to said transverse bar 11. The tongue 47 of the bar 45 is in alinement With the tongues 14 and 15 of the top bar 11 and the bot-tom bar 12, respectively. `In each of the tongues 46, 47, 48 is Aprovided a spring catch, as 49, 50, 51 all of Whichare similarin construction and operate in a like manner to the catches 18 and 19. As illustrated,`the

removable side bar 16 is of sufficient length so that the tongue 47 of the bar 45 will be received in the longitudinal groove 17 thereof, and in the inner surface of the grooved edge of said removable sidebar is a notch' 52 j the same as andron the tongue 48 of the hara 11 and b'ar 13 is a detachable short third side bary 53.

The short sidebar '53v is similarly 'formed to the removable sidebar 16, and saidbar 53 has groove 54 lengthwise in one of its edges.Y

Adjacent to each end ofthe detachable side bar 53, and in the inner surface of its grooved edge are two notches 55 and 56 which are arranged so as to be registered with the catches 49- andv 51 of the tongues 46 and 48 whereby the heads of the catches will engage the said notches for removably holding'the side bar 53 to the tongues 46 and 48 in 'a like manner to the detachable holding ofthe side bar 16 to the bill of' fare, as heretofore; explained.

Slightly spaced from the plate 41 of the extension 40"andv held to the transverse bars 111 and4'5, is a supporting plate 57; For the purpose ofindicating through the openings 42;, 43, 44, ofthe plate 41 the month, day, and date ofthe menu being served, to 'the plate 57 are pivot-ed four disks, or wheels 58, 59, 60, 61. -On one face of the disk 58 are designated the months ,of the year, as 62,

and saiddisk is adapted to be rotated so tha t',A

each month may be registered with and displayed through the openingv 42 of the plate 41. On one face of the disk 59 are indicated the days of the Week, as 63.l .and this disk is adapted to be rotated so that one of the days may be registerediwith 4and shown through the opening 43 of the plate 41. On the disk 60 is indicated a series ofnumerals, as 64, from 0 to 9' inclusiven and said disk is adapted to be rotated so that one of the numerals may be registeredwith. and rdisplayed through the opening 44 ofthe plate 41. Through the disk 60 is-an opening, as shown, and insaid opening is pivotally held the disk 6 1, On a part of one face of the disk 61 are indicated the numerals 1,

2, 3, as'at 65, andsaid disk is adapted to be rotated whereby one of the numerals 1, 2, 3 may be registered with and shown through the opening 44 of the plate 41 simultaneously with the display of one of the numerals of the disk 60, thus any date from 1 to 31'may be shown through the opening 44 by revolving the disks 60 and 61 correspondingly. l

VIn order to permit each of the disks 58, 59, 60, 61 to be rotated separately, upon the face of the disk 5.8'oppo`site to the names of the months '62 thereon, is provided an annu lar toothed rack 66,'and in'fmesh with said rack is a star gear, or pinion 67 held on one end of a rod 68. On the opposite end' A,of the rod 68 isa head 69 to allow the rod to be readily rotated for revolving the rack 66 and the disk 58. 'Upon the face ofr the disk 59' opposite the names of the days 63 thereof, -is anl annular toothed rack 70, and

, in mesh with said rack is a star gear, or

pinion '7l-held on one end of a rod 72. On

the Opposite end of the rod 72 is a head 7 3 for permitting the rod to be rotated to revolve the rack 7'() and the disk 59. Upon the face of the disk 60 opposite to the numerels 641s an annular toothed rack 74, and in mesh with said rack is a star gear, or pinion 7 5 held on one end of a rod 76 havin a head 77 on its other end whereby the rod may be rotated for revolving the rack 74 fand the disk 60. Upon the face of the disk 61 which is'opposite to its numerals 65 is also 'an annular toothed rack I78 in mesh with which is aV star gear, or pinion 7 9 held upon one end of a rod 80, 'and on the other end of said rod' `is a head 81 for allowing the rod to be rotated for revolving the rack `78 and disk 61. AnyJ desired month, day of the Week, or date may thereby-be displayed `through. the? openings 42,

43, 44, of the plate 41 of the extension 40 after the. side-bar 16 of the frame 10 has been removed, as hereinbefore explained, and after the removal of the side bar 53 in a like manner from the tongues 46 and 48.. Asshown, the rods 68 and 72 are dis'- posed so that the heads thereof will be received in the groove of the removable side bar 53 when replaced on the tongues 46 and 48, and the rods 76 and 80 are disposed so that lthe heads thereof will be received in the groove o-fthe side bar 16 when replaced on the tongues 14, 1o and 47 of thetra'nsverse bar 11, 12 and 45, respectively.

' In theforegoing description, I have embodied the preferred form of my invention,

but I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself thereto, as I am aware that modifications may be made therein without de- Iparting from the principle, or sacrificing "any ofthe advantages of this invention,

therefore I reserve to myself the right to make such changes' as fairly fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, fI claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patentza i 1. In a bill of fare of the character .described, two spaced supporting strips, each having a plurality of openings therethrough and each of the openings of one strip being in a-linement with one of the openings of the second strip, a plurality of vrods disf posed between .the strips and` each being adjustably held in two of the alined openings of the strips, each of said rods having a polygonally formed body to provide a numbery of faces for indicating naines thereon and each of said rods having a number of slotsdisposed crosswise in one end thereof,

of the rods to rigidly hold the rod whenv adjusted in the openings, and a frame inclosing the strips and the ends of all of said rods.

2. In a vbill of fare of theeharacter dei scribed, two spaced supporting strips, each having a plurality of openings therethrough and each of the openings of one strip being in alinement with' one of the openings of the second strip, a plurality of rods disposed between the strips and each being adjustably guided in two of the alined openings of the strips, each of said.rods having a polygonally formed body to lprovide a number ofv faces for indicatmg names thereon, means provided on one of the strips and serving to rigidly hold each of the rods when adjusted in two ofthe openings of said strips, a transverse bar secured to the top ends of the supporting strips, a second transverse' bar secured to the lower ends of the supporting strips, a side bar fastened to one of the cor'- responding ends of both of the transverse bars, a second side bar, and means serving to removably attach the second side bar to the opposite ends of said transverse bars.

3. In a bill of fare of the character described, two spaced supporting strips, each having a plurality of openings therethrough and each of the openings of one strip being in alinement with oneiof the openings of the second strip, a plurality of rods disposed between the strips and each being adjustably guided in two of the alined openings of the strips, each of said rods having a polygonally formed body to provide a number of faces for indicating names thereon, means provided on one of thevstrips and serving Ato rigidly hold each of the rods when adjusted in two of the openings of said strips,

ing strips, a side bar fastened to one of the corresponding ends of both of the transverse bars, a second side' bar, two catches, one provided upon the opposite end of each of said transverse bars and serving to hold the second side bar thereto.

4. In a bill of fare of the character deremovably scribed, two spaced supporting strips, veach y having a plurality of openings therethrough and each of the openings of one strip being in alinement with one ofthe openings of the' second strip, a plurality of rods disposed between the strips and each being adj ustably guided in two of the alined openings ofthe strips, each of said rods having a polygonally formed body to provide a number of faces for indicating names thereon and each of said rods having a number of slots disposed crosswise in one end thereof, a wire provided' on one lof* the strips for engagement with one of the slots of each of the rods to rigidlyphold the-od when adjusted in two of the openings, a transverse bar secured to the top ends of the supporting strips, a second transverse bar secured to the lower ends of the supporting strips, a side bar fastened4 to one of the corresponding ends of both of "the transverse bars, a second side bar, two catches, one provided upon the opposite end of each of said transverse bars and serving to removably hold the second side bar thereto. y

This4 specification signed and witnessed this sixth day of February iA. D. 1913.

DOMENICO A. TOPPI. Witnesses:

RoBT. B. ABBOTT, M. DERMODY.

Copies oi this patent may be obtained for vecents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washingtoinl). G. i 

